Shoe-tray



(No Model.)

G. R. HARSH.

SHOE TRAY.

No. 581,553. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE R. HARSH, OF PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS.

S HOE-TRAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,553, dated April 27, 1897.

Application filed July 11, 1896. Serial No. 598,831. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE R.HARsH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pine Bluff, county of Jefferson, and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Trays, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to trays for the carriage of shoes from place to place for exhibition as samples upon which sales of the article are to be made. This use of the shoes as samples requires not only that their perfect condition shall be maintained during transport, but that the trays transporting them shall be adapted for the ready exhibition of the shoes and be adapted to facilitate their speedy unpacking and repacking.

Heretofore trays adapted to be inserted in a trunk for the transport and exhibition of shoes have simply been lined throughout with canton-flannel, thus affording an open rectangular space for containing them, and in which the shoes must not only be packed tightly together, so as to prevent their shifting about and beinginjured by abrasion, but each shoe is more or less enveloped with paper or cloth placed between them in order to prevent their rubbing together, and it results from this tight packing that their counters are more or less mashed and their uppers are more or less crumpled, whence their usefulness as sample articles is impaired. This mode of packing by wrapping each shoe singly with a covering and by bending and pressing the uppers tightly in their packed condition causes them to lose their shape and thus inj ure their appearance.

The object of this invention is the provision of a packing-tray for the transport of shoes from place to place and repeated exhibition thereof as samples by the use of which a speedy packing and unpacking may be accomplished, and in which the shoes may not only be loosely packed, so as not to be inj ured by pressure, but be maintained in their packed condition, so that they. may not shift about and thus be injured by abrasion; and the invention consists in a peculiar construction of said tray, whereby these important results are attained and which is so specifically hereinafter illustrated ,described,and claimed as to need no preliminary explanation.

A shoe-tray embodying this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tray resting bottom side up and packed. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the tray with its bottom closed and resting right side up. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the tray resting top side up and unpacked. Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof, the apron being removed to expose other parts. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation similar to Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line 6 of Fig. 2.

In the specific embodiment of this invention illustrated it consists of a rectangular structure formed by two sides A B and two ends 0 D, suitably secured together and provided with lifting devices a b to enable the same to be conveniently placed in and removed from a trunk or other carrying-box. The sides A B, which are somewhat narrower than the ends, are provided on their bottom edges with series of holes 1, preferably formed through a strengthening-plate 5, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) in which rods or bridges bent at right angles at their ends may be fixedly adjusted more or less near each other to form bridges 3 to support the shoes, as will hereinafter appear, and in order to conveniently adjust these bridges 3 to hold them rigidly in their adj usted position there are provided .side slats E F, preferably hinged to the sides A B of the body at one end thereof, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) which slats in their normal position rest upon the edges of the sides A B, respectively, and are there secured by any common means, as by the hooks 2. These side slats, which operate to press upon and hold the rods or bridges 3 in their adjusted positions, are provided with flaps 2O 30 for closing the bottom of the tray, which flaps extend inwardly therefrom and are provided with some means, as straps and buckles, for fastening them together. (See Fig. 5.) They are preferably made of canvas and lined with canton-flannel, but might, of course, be made of leather or any other flexible material.

To one end, say D, of the tray, and so that the same may be stretched directly over the 1 in the sides A B.

rods or bridges 3, is attached a guard cloth or apron 10, preferably of an extent more than equal to double the length of the tray, for a purpose soon to be made apparent.

To pack the shoes in this tray, it will first be rested with its bottom side up, as in Fig. 1. Its side slats will then be released from their fastening means, as the hooks 2, and be uplifted to expose the rods or bridges 3 beneath them and the seriesof adjusting-holes These rods or bridges 3 will then be adjusted at appropriate distances apart to suit the size of shoes which are to be packed by having their right-angular ends adjusted in corresponding pairs of the holes 1. i

This having been done the slats will be made to resume their former position, resting on top of the ends of the adjusted rods or bridges 3, and be fastened in that position, as by the hooks 2 referred to, and then the flaps 2O 30 will be spread open, as in Fig. 1, if they have not theretofore been released, and the apron 1O willbe spread loosely in one'ply over the rods or bridges 3 and allowedto sag down between thefirst bridge-rod andthe end of the tray and between the first and second bridge-rods, thus forming pockets for the reception of the first shoe 11, which will then be deposited in the tray, so that its body portion will descend and rest in the pocket between the first and second bridge-rods, with the upper edge of its heel about even with the bridgerods, while its top or upper will be inclined to the right and lap over the first rod or bridge 3 and lay beposited in this pocket, with its top or upper bent so as to lie over the rear part or heel portion of the first shoe, and this method is repeated until the spaces or pockets between the rodsor bridges 3 arefull. Then the free end of the apron 10 is laid over the top of the shoes, the two side flaps 2O 30 are buckled together over the row of shoes, and the tray is turned top side up, as in Fig. 2. Then, beginning at that end of the tray opposite to the one where the packing of the first row of shoes was started, the first shoe 12 is rested in the pocket formed by the apron in the space between the first and second shoes of the first row, its body so lying therein that its heel rests against thetoe of the second shoe below, while the top or upper of said shoe is inclined to the left and so rests as to overlie the toe portion of the first shoe of the first row below and extending beyond it into the space orpocket between said toe portion and the end 0 of the tray. The second shoe is placcd in the pocket between the second and third shoes of the first row and its top or upper is bent laterally over the second shoe of the first row and onto the first shoe of the last row, and this mode of packing is continued until the row is complete. The shoes forming this second row will thus be held in position by the body portions of each shoe resting between the body portions of alternate shoes in the first row, being thus susrained laterally, and when several trays thus packed are placed one above another in a trunk or like box the lowermost row of shoes in an upper tray will rest over and near enough to the upper row of shoes in a lower tray as to maintain them in position without crushing and operate to prevent their vertical displacement. Thus each shoe is held in its packed position in such a way as to prevent rubbing of one shoe against another, and the shoes are prevented from having their counters mashed orbeing otherwise inj ured.

The disposition of the shoes is such that they may be speedilypacked and unpacked,andthe tray and the bridge-bars may be quickly adjustedto suit any size ofshoe. Of course,if desired,the top of the tray mi ghthave an apron or aprons to be extended over the rowof packed shoes, and it might also have flaps, as 20 30, if desired. The essential characteristics,however, of the improvement are the provision of adj ustable bridge-bars and means forsecurin g them in their adjusted positions as a support for and means of maintenance of the shoes in their widthwise relation, so as to separate shoe from shoe or retain them sufficiently apart to prevent abrasion and admit of the counters being so disposed with respect to the body of the shoeas to prevent undue pressure thereon and resulting crushing thereof. The apron 10 for supporting the rows of shoes and separating one from the other, and the flaps 20 30,are also essential as subsidiary elements of the invention.

WVhat is claimed is 1. The combination with a rectangular tray consisting of rigid sides and ends, of transverse rods or bridges 3 andanapron 10,substantially as described.

2. The combination with a rectangular tray consisting of rigid sides and ends, said sides being provided with a series of adj ustingholes, of transverse rods orbridges 3 adjustable in said sides and means for holding said rods in position, and an apron 10 whereby the transport-tray for shoes may have its shoereceiving spaces or pockets adjusted to suit varyingsizes, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a rectangular tray consisting of rigid sides and ends, said sides each being provided on one edge thereof with a series of adj listing-holes, of transverse rods or bridges 3 having right-angular ends en gaging with said adjusting-holes and means bearing on their ends for maintaining said bridgerods in their adjusted position, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a rectangular tray consisting of rigid sides and ends, said sides being provided on one edge with a series of adj ustingholes, of transverse rods or bridges 3 having right-angular ends engaging pairs of said adj listing-holes, and bars E, F for se- IIO curing said bridge-rods in their adjusted pomy hand in the presence of two subscribing sition, substantially as described. Witnesses.

5. The combination With a rectan ular tray consisting of rigid sides and endsfof trans- HARSH' 5 verse rods or bridges 3, an apron 10 and cover- Witnesses:

flaps 20, 30, substantially as described. JOE ARMSTRONG, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set A. L. VERNON. 

